MCDONALD, Francis John

[Little_Nell57]

Seeking information about my great grandfather Francis John McDONALD supposedly born in Inverness-shire in Scotland, parents reported to be George Malcolm MCDONALD and Jessie MCLEOD.  This particular part of our family history is very sketchy because of various persons hiding wrong-doings.  All members of older generations now deceased so cannot ask anyone anything.  Can anybody help please?

Little_Nell57

I should have added that Francis John MCDONALD m. Josephine CLARK (nee WILSON) in Gunnedah NSW 1896.  My grandfather, also Francis John MCDONALD was born 1892/93 in Coonabarabran NSW but I suspect that his birth was not registered due to parents not being married and being in a relatively remote area at the time.  No record can be found of his birth, but on some sites other people have him listed as MCDONALD Francis Croxon A, but this person enlisted in the army at a time when the younger Francis John would have been marrying my grandmother, (Hazel) Norma WILLIAMS in 1916 (Hazel in brackets due to the fact that she left this part of her name off of the marriage because she was hiding a previous marriage in Tasmania).

[Little_Nell57]

Sorry, I should have added that Francis John MCDONALD the elder was born sometime in the 1800s, and emigrated to Australia but don't know when.

Little-Nell57

[DaveKe]

There is a Francis A Croxon born at Coonabarabran in 1893,   according to the index his parents names were Henry and Josephine.  NSW Birth registration 11528 of 1893.

[Little_Nell57]

Hi Daveke

Thanks for the reply, but my grandfather's birth was never registered.  This particular Francis has several siblings, none of which belong to our family.  My grandfather's parents were not married at the time of his birth, and lived "out bush" where it may have been too late to register his birth by the time they actually "went into town".

Narelle

[Rosinish]

Do you have any idea where Francis J Snr was born in Inverness-shire even if you don't have a correct spelling as it may give us a clue?

What was his age when he married & when he died or on any census so we can have a rough idea of his birth year?

There are quite a few J M(a)cDonalds without the Francis, emigrating to Aus.

Do you know what his occupation was because an occupation can be a good clue to identifying someone among many?

Do you know what religion?

Do you know of any siblings & if so, their names?

Annie

[leahgai]

Hi I am the great granddaughter of Francis John Mcdonald mentioned above. Francis John Mcdonald jnr was born 1 July 1892 Apple Tree Glen Bugaldi  form of information of birth was dated 23 Aug 1892 Barradine district of Coonabarabran it states his father Francis John was 40 and born in Inverness Scotland his mother Josephine 32 born in Sydney there marriage date and place was not recorded it states there were 5 previous male issue and 2 female issue all living. I have discovered the Josephine was married to Henry George Clarke and had 7 children to him before he died hence the previous issue. This is where it gets a confusing my great grandmother Francis's sister Josephine was born in 1895 as a Clark with no mention of a fathers name and when their younger brother Malcolm George McDonald was born in 1898 it states on the birth certificate no previous issue. I have the certificates to verify this also looking for contacts for this family

[Little_Nell57]

Hi Leahgai

Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you.  Thank you for the information on my grandfather.  We had been given incorrect information re where he would be likely to be registered.  It is great to discover that he was in fact on the books.  When I was a child I did actually know Josephine, better known to us as Mabel, and her husband, Harry Haysman.  They came on a trip with us to Collarenebri and it was quite an eventful  trip to say the least.  If you care to get in touch via other means I could give you a rundown of the "fun" we had on that trip.